Calling all merry men and women
I won’t lie: as a huge fan of historical English dramas, I’m a quick sell on any eatery that offers any level of “ye olde-ness.” Mystic, therefore, becomes a fun day trip for this resident of the other side of the river. With its numerous centuries-old buildings conducive to hunkering down and setting the world to rights over spirits and victuals — oftentimes in the company of the resident ye olde ghost — I’m game to drive in and channel my inner sea captain when duty calls.
This time, however, we had to shift to more of a Robin Hood vibe, because duty called us to Friar Tuck’s Tavern, nestled in the lower level of the (haunted) Emporium building. Not a problem, especially when the menu promises comfort foods that have stood the test of time and a long list of beers on tap.
Indeed, you don’t often find Scotch eggs on any tavern menu, but Friar Tuck’s shows its commitment to “traditional English fare with a touch of New England flair” in offering a treat allegedly invented in 1738 ($7 or $4 during Happy Hour). For the unfamiliar, a Scotch egg is a baked or fried soft boiled egg, wrapped in sausage and coated in bread crumbs. (Friar Tuck’s serves them fried.)
If you’ve ever tried to make Scotch eggs, you know that they are a labor-intensive project, and we wondered how a small eatery like Friar Tuck’s could meet demand with Scotch eggs worth eating. Apparently, the chef knows the secret, because the speed with which ours arrived and its excellent flavor, texture and construction suggested wizardry afoot in the kitchen. It’s a hearty dish for sure, and in the wrong hands, a Scotch egg could easily become a dense ball of greasy protein, but Friar Tuck’s elevates the experience with expert seasoning, perfect preparation, and a side of very tasty, silky smooth (and not FRIAR TUCK’S TAVERN Atmosphere: Service: at all salty) bourbon gravy.
It’s a miracle we made it to entrée time, because we paired our Scotch egg app with Loaded Tuck Chips ($10), an even heartier appetizer on the specials menu. “Chips” here is meant in the UK sense, so what you get are French fries loaded and baked with Reuben sandwich fixings — corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, etc. Yes, it sounds like Super Bowl food, but at the very least it’s well executed Super Bowl food, thanks in part to the generous application of both cheese and beef, which added an enjoyable layer of savory flavor to the seasoned, rough-cut fries. Luckily, four of us shared the app, and all four of us got our fill and then some by the time we hit the bottom of the basket.
After that app, we should have all ordered salads (there are two available on the menu), but we doubled down on the hearty fare across the board. Note: We enjoyed everything we tried, but Duncan’s Shepherd’s Pie ($17) emerged the standout favorite, and that’s probably because the featured ground meat in Friar Tuck’s version is lamb, beautifully seasoned and tender. The rest of the dish included the standard